IS BOXING FINISHED

[brilo33]

people keep shouting this because the biggest and boring est name in boxing wont fight khan. i say boxing has never been so good. we have had some great fights this year, kovalev,triple g,de gale,brook,lee fight to name a few.got lee v saunders,fury v klitschko,cotto v saul . top fights coming up

[crusader]

Not finished at all.

Some people seem to incorrectly think that the rise of MMA must be the death of boxing. I also believe that many of the people who scream that boxing is dying need to look outside the US more.

[Nightmare Roy]

Boxing will always be here, more super stars will always come along.

[dalcumly]

I was doing some research a few years ago and discovered that the in the late 1950's the Boxing News was selling 250,000 copies a week. In the UK at the time the BBC were showing fights at least once a week, with repeats aired on Saturday afternoon on Grandstand. In the USA live fights were being shown on national TV at least twice a week. It was generally accepted that in the UK boxing was the nations second favourite sport behind football.
In the decade that followed Henry Cooper and Billy Walker were front page news, with the former being boxing's answer to George Best. Of course this was also the era that brought along Muhammed Ali.
I would suggest that in this country boxing's appeal has collapsed among the general public. There are numerous reasons for this . I would argue that the major factors have been the lack of coverage by the 'free to air' TV stations, particularly the BBC and ITV, and almost as important, the proliferation of world sanctioning bodies.

On occasion a boxing match can capture the public imagination ( Froch v Groves for example) and when this happens there is always the chance of a short term recovery, but all the good is undone when the casual fan begins to realise that the winner is not the 'real' world champion ( Andre Ward). There can still be huge money generated on 'one off' events but where does that money go ? Both here and in the America, huge multi-national companies make millions and move on. A select few promoters, managers and ( a very) few boxers cash-in, and the wider boxing public, managers ,trainers and boxers try to catch the crumbs falling off the tables of the elite.

A lot more of this money has to be shared further down the pecking order for boxing to survive. BBC and ITV would need to get back on board showing weekly fights , perhaps at British title level, because then the general public could understand that whoever won could rightly claim to be British champion without dispute. ( not necessarily the best at the weight in the country, though). This type of thing could rekindle a new interest in boxing .
Eddie Hearn ,FW and SKY could perhaps consider investing in the future by running smaller shows more regularly and forgetting about profits for a minute. Might they even consider spreading their millions around some of the gyms which are struggling to survive?

[samwbr]

Matchroom just helped out a boxing club in Liverpool with new premises didn't they?

[dbflex]

Dalcumly is correct to point out that boxing bas been marginalised by the lack of free TV coverage, a resultant decision by national mainstream media to mostly ignore the sport, the widespread end of boxing in schools and the growth of other sports.

My only point would be that a niche sport - which boxing is apart from 2-3 events per year - can exist and even thrive. Just because it's not in the rude health it enjoyed in the post-war period does not mean it is finished or anything close to it.

Boxing News remains profitable and is growing incredibly quickly in the digital sphere. How our traditional print rivals are doing is for them to point out but I can tell you that several boxing websites (including this one) do a roaring trade, as do HBO, Showtime and Sky Sports with boxing. The fact that new promoters launch regularly and invest heavily in some cases (PBC) illustrates that a thriving market still exists for boxing.

Incidentlly, PBC has aped the UFC model partly to avoid the drawbacks most free TV companies have regarding broadcasting boxing. If a main event falls out of bed at short notice, Haymon (like Dana White) can simply sub another two of his many fighters in, at the same venue in the same time slot and, if the brand itself is strong (UFC is, PBC has a way to go), people will still tune in. Plus paying for airtime certainly calms concerns about production costs.

The point is boxing will not die, it will simply evolve. I wouldn't be working in the industry (albeit as an observer) if I didn't firmly believe that.

[mullenman]

mayweather the prick gives boxing a bad name...

eddie hearn is doing great for boxing in the uk

ufc is bigger in Ireland because of conor McGregor

ufc they fight the best and in boxing they make excuses

[handsofstone]

Im a massive fan of Mayweather the boxer although offensively he's dwindled to near non existent and he doesnt seem to have the ability to finish a fight these days but i cant wait for him to retire and everyone else can get on with things,he can have another 5 fights but what do they mean if he doesnt fight Brook,Thurman or someone with the best chance of beating him,he has more often than not fought the best but ive zero interest in him fighting Berto

[Bodyshot3]

@dbflex....agreed, boxing has found its level as a well supported niche sport in the UK.

Why the mainstream media have by and large turned their back on boxing is anyone's guess...but in the case of the BBC I still contend that it was the Harrison debacle, they never seemed to recover from betting the bank on Audley becoming a household name and superstar and getting such a poor return from it. I think certain folk in the BBC...not supportive of the sport in the first place.....took the chance to put some nails in the coffin.
I actually like their 5 Live radio coverage; but it is not really the same as having a big Saturday night showcase TV fight.

Being the optimist, I hope that ITV will get stuck in again and that the Frampton experience has proved that the sport can get the audience numbers and advertisers interested. They don't have much football right now so fingers crossed they'll take a punt on some more boxing!

[expe]

mayweather the prick gives boxing a bad name...

eddie hearn is doing great for boxing in the uk

ufc is bigger in Ireland because of conor McGregor

ufc they fight the best and in boxing they make excuses

Complaining about fighters opposition, just after praising Eddie Hearn...

[magwitch]

Boxing will always be here, more super stars will always come along.

yes I agree with this statement. It will be a pity when Cotto hangs them up, which can't be too far away. What a tough guy he is. Not someone I'd want to be in a ring with myself!

I saw a lad in America on a big undercard a few months back in the lighter weights. Raul Saucedo I think was his name. I think he will be a big star. Still a teenager at present. Very slick and also rangy and quite clever with it.

[expe]

Matchroom just helped out a boxing club in Liverpool with new premises didn't they?

They are supposedly setting up some foundation, but to be honest it seemed more like Hearn was trying to keep Anthony Fowler happy, he'll be after signing him once the Olympics are done and spending a few quid on his amateur club won't do any harm to his chances of getting him.

[dbf]

Sky sports have chopped ringside. Ed Robinson is actually a camera man at some press conferences. The budget must have been cut somewhat. Doesn't sound like its a thriving sport. All plans looks to be made towards a PPV model that is supported by regular sky shows not the other way round.

Take away the Hearn hyperbole and I think you've got a sport that is struggling to stay alive.

[tobyh5]

Sky sports have chopped ringside. Ed Robinson is actually a camera man at some press conferences. The budget must have been cut somewhat. Doesn't sound like its a thriving sport. All plans looks to be made towards a PPV model that is supported by regular sky shows not the other way round.

Take away the Hearn hyperbole and I think you've got a sport that is struggling to stay alive.

Possibly more indicative of how little money is left in the coffers after overpaying for the football rights

[Khaosai-Galaxy]

Well Graham, we live in an age where the big things are really big and the small things are really small.

Examples include: Football (Top 4 or nothing) Movies (Them super hero films making 1 Billion quid) Cricket (Ashes = Big, everything else, blah) Celebrity Scandals (Jimmy Savile 300+ rapes vs Kerry Katona (spelling?) gaining 4 pounds) Video Games (I can't be bothered to think of an example there) and the stand up comedy (Stadium tours vs gigs in peoples living room (i actually went to one of these once))

So the point is that, ummm the big fights will be really big and the small fights will end up taking place in Tesco's or whatever?


Oh yeah and supermarkets are really big these days aren't they? i should have mentioned that up there. Oh well.

[ILikeBeer]

IS BOXING FINISHED

No.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Not finished by any stretch, but definitely nowhere near as big in the public consciousness as it used to be, aside from the odd mega-event.

I'd say in Asia however, it's probably in pretty rude health - I think combat sports in general are possibly more ingrained into the culture, though that could be a sweeping statement - Asia is a big place.

[danamba7]

Sky sports have chopped ringside. Ed Robinson is actually a camera man at some press conferences. The budget must have been cut somewhat. Doesn't sound like its a thriving sport. All plans looks to be made towards a PPV model that is supported by regular sky shows not the other way round.

Take away the Hearn hyperbole and I think you've got a sport that is struggling to stay alive.

Possibly more indicative of how little money is left in the coffers after overpaying for the football rights

Spot on

[jamesmcdonnell]

Sky sports have chopped ringside. Ed Robinson is actually a camera man at some press conferences. The budget must have been cut somewhat. Doesn't sound like its a thriving sport. All plans looks to be made towards a PPV model that is supported by regular sky shows not the other way round.

Take away the Hearn hyperbole and I think you've got a sport that is struggling to stay alive.

Possibly more indicative of how little money is left in the coffers after overpaying for the football rights

Spot on

Football rights are what gets people signing up for Sky sports in the first place - or so the perception is.

[Boxerbeetle]

Possibly more indicative of how little money is left in the coffers after overpaying for the football rights

Spot on

Football rights are what gets people signing up for Sky sports in the first place - or so the perception is.

That's definitely true. Like it or not, Sky was built on its Premier League coverage. If Sky lost the football, it would almost certainly collapse & be replaced by whichever provider owned the new Premiership rights.

[revporl]

Sky sports have chopped ringside. Ed Robinson is actually a camera man at some press conferences.

Exciting times!

[moogie101]

No.

We have allegedly, Sky Sports, (and on occasion Spike, ITV & CH5) showing boxing, the coverage might not be as extensive as some would like on free-to-air channels to attract the casual fans but the fights are at least being shown if you're prepared to pay to watch them.

Boxing is a niche sport however, the example used for Boxing coverage in the 1950's was a different era when there were wasn't so many channels showing such a wide variety of sports compared with nowadays. The fact that boxing gets as much coverage as it does is impressive really.

MMA might have grown & for a time hurt boxing, although most recent PPV buyrate for the UFC shows that those numbers aren't as strong as they once were.

The fact remains that casuals have interest in the sport, every time there's a BIG boxing fight it absolutely crushes whatever the UFC is doing. Plus the competition forced boxing to improve, now we are getting more meaningful fights, not saying there's no room for further improvement but a lot of fights that people want to see are getting made.

We've got some big fights coming up involving domestic fighters that are going to attract media attention, plus we have a good crop of younger fighters on the fringe or thereabouts of world level, its exciting times to be a boxing fan.

[Boxing Prospect]

As well as the free to air fights on tv we also to remember some promoters have taken to showing their fights for free online. We had a UK card streamed recently (Black Flash), a Korean one (AK Promotions), a Japanese one (Kawasaki Nitta gym) all by the promoters, whilst Top Rank continue to stream their undercards.

[mickey1975]

It's never been healthier in Yorkshire. We had one club in York for years, we now have four, and an unlicensed scene. And the gyms are all packed out. Leeds is churning out some of the best amateurs in Europe and Josh Warrington is selling out an arena regularly. Add in the 15,000 stadium fight in Hull and I think it's booming!

[samwbr]

Matchroom just helped out a boxing club in Liverpool with new premises didn't they?

They are supposedly setting up some foundation, but to be honest it seemed more like Hearn was trying to keep Anthony Fowler happy, he'll be after signing him once the Olympics are done and spending a few quid on his amateur club won't do any harm to his chances of getting him.

I don't doubt there was some self interest by Matchroom but if they are investing in the future of the sport then I'm happy with that. It's also providing a positive social outlet for a the kids who won't do anything in the sport long term but love to be in the gym and out of mischief.